She was now officially three years of age and for the -second - life of her, she couldn't seem to recall growing up taking so goddamn long. Easing to a stand she gripped the rails and peeked over the edge of her crib with a scowl.

Honestly, she wished that it wasn't so high up off the ground so that escaping the damned thing would be easier but hey, not everything in life could go her way. Smirking as she moved in action, she thanked her older mind for giving her better control over her small body. Needless to say it wasn't much, but it was something and that was good enough for her.

Moving over to one end of the cage, she stuck one hand through the bars and with her meager strength pushed down on the release button. Watching in satisfaction as she was effectively freed, Kyoya slid off of her mattress in one fluid motion.

The moment her small feet hit the ground, she took off out through her thankfully open bedroom door. Walking down the large hallway of her traditional Japanese house with modern conveniences, Kyoya slowly made her way down the steps and past the paper doors to her family's dojo.

There, like at any other time, she had a front row seat to spectacle where her father kicked copious amounts of ass. The steel tonfas that the man employed were perfect for him and she could see why male!Hibari would feel inclined to take after their dad and take them as his primary weapon.

Settling down to watch the elder Kyoya dance around the room in a deadly tango as pompadoured men dodged as best they could, she reflected on the why's and how's of her new circumstances. Figuring out exactly where and who she was had been a rather straightforward affair. Well, as straightforward as meeting Sawada Tsunayoshi could be.

Funnily enough she had run into the future sky on her birthday when she was being treated to her favorite ice cream. And during the time she had been delightedly partaking in a lovely vanilla swirl topped with sprinkles, she had caught sight of brown hair and warm colored eyes right before they disappeared around the corner.

Now to this day, Kyoya couldn't explain the urge she had felt to chase after what she had seen as anything other than pure intuition and she didn't care to. All that mattered was that with little preamble, she had broken away from her mother's side and rounded the bend to find that - surprise, surprise! - it was Sawada Tsunayoshi.

And as if he could sense her presence - and maybe he had - said boy turned and caramel caught flinty blue-gray. There was a moment of absolute stillness where Tsuna's eyes glowed it's telling orange before he gave a shriek and hid behind the skirt of the woman standing by his side. Which led to her taking notice of the lady with short brown hair and warm cinnamon eyes who could only be Sawada Nana.

"What's wrong Tsu-kun? Did you want to make a new friend?" The woman asked with a smile and let her just say, watching a woman like Nana smile was both blinding and welcoming. She could definitely see why Iemitsu married her, she was a beautiful if not willfully naive woman.

"Well hello there sweetie." She cooed as she fell into a crouch. "my name is Sawada Nadeshiko but everyone calls me Nana, so you can as well."

Giving Kyoya a curious tilt of her head, the woman tapped a single finger to her chin and the young Hibari had to resist the urge to d'aww. "And what's the name of Tsu-kun's new friend hm?~"

Weirdly enough she felt compelled to answer her question and for not the first time, she wondered at the unnatural powers of Tsunayoshi's mother.

"Hibari Kyoya." She practically confessed and was rewarded with another beaming smile, much to her almost reluctant pleasure.

"Well Kyo-chan, are you here with your parents or are you by yourself?" Nana questioned and she voiced her affirmation with the former option before she turned her attention towards the small cowering boy.

Now Kyoya knew that Tsuna was supposedly very adorable as a child but, well, she was not prepared for it to be quite like this. Feeling herself melt at how cute her future boss looked, Kyoya cursed her weakness to children. Ever since she had learned that her asthma would make carrying a child to term impossible, she had found that she had a particular fondness for babies.

Call her sentimental but it always made her feel bittersweet to see something as precious as children and know that she couldn't have any of her own.

And for that reason, Kyoya couldn't feel proud that Tsuna was afraid of her and with a second's contemplation moved forward. Ignoring the flinch she had drawn from her future boss, Kyoya stuck out her hand and did what she had always wanted to do since the first chapter of the manga.

Kyoya ruffled the boy's hair.

Giving him a half smirk - to which he shivered at - she was pleased to note that he didn't stink of blatant fear anymore.

It was only too bad that in the future he was going to practically piss himself whenever they shared a space for so much as a millisecond.

Distantly, she heard her mother call her name and she absently threw a glance over her shoulder.

"Do you have to go now Kyo-chan?" Nana asked and Kyoya nodded.

"Ara, well come visit Tsu-kun again sometime!" She invited with a cheerful smile. "I'm sure both of you will be great friends!~"

Giving the woman an affirmative answer to her request - even though she had no idea when she would ever visit the Sawada residence in the near future - Kyoya turned to leave just as Tsuna stepped out from the shadow of his mother.

"Bye." The brown haired boy whispered, eyes shining with curiosity and she blinked. "Bye!"

Despite being confused, she gave him a wave as she approached her mother, who upon seeing her daughter reappear pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Where did you wander off to Kyo?" Helena asked as they both made their way back home.

"I saw something fluffy." She told her with a shrug and her mother gave a curious hum.

"Ah, so you found another cute animal?" Her mother giggled and Kyoya knowing no better answer, simply nodded. "I thought so, there's not much else that can capture your attention."

Sighing to herself as she banished the memory from her thoughts, Kyoya refocused on the approaching figure of her father who upon noticing her paying him attention, quirked an eyebrow.

"Did you get out of the crib by yourself?" He questioned, clearly stating that no self respecting child of his wouldn't be self-sufficient even at the age of three and she gave him a nod.

"Good." He smirked as he spun his weapons into complicated circles. "I'm starting your training, go get your tonfa."

Instantly perking up at the mention of bettering herself, Kyoya raced out of the dojo and back up to her room. Grabbing the wooden box stored in her closet, she went back to her father and quickly opened it up.

"Now take them out and hold them, I will correct your stance."

Having read and watched both her father and the original Hibari handle them, she attempted to copy their grip to which she had minimal success.

"Relax your left wrist and tighten your right." He instructed after a few moments of observation. "Grip harder with your fingers but not too hard to where you can't maneuver at the moment's notice."

Doing as her father said, she corrected herself and was pleased to note that the awkwardness abated and it felt more natural.

"Now I want you to practice your grip and when you feel your stance slipping, correct it." He ordered. "I want you to be comfortable with the weapon."

Circling around her, Kyoya Sr. hummed as he adjusted her limbs.

"Originally, I had planned to have you perform the training regime I had created for myself but that has changed." He said with a shrug of his shoulder. "I am a strength and speed fighter but as a female it will be different, so we will play towards your advantages."

Kyoya nodded.

"Though no doubt you will have a considerable amount of power behind your strikes, it is important to remember that you have something men do not." He explained to her. "Natural flexibility is a very valuable skill and I have no doubt Helena will tutor you to the best of your capabilities."

It made sense. The other Kyoya fought quick and brutal and wasn't much for evasion except for the classic dodge. But as a girl, she could bend herself into various positions and attack where he could not. Potentially, she could use two different fighting styles, one standard and one modified.

Continuing the rest of her beginners training, she exited the dojo feeling like someone had taken her muscles and stretched them out sadistically.

Deciding to find her mother to get herself a bath - because sweat was gross - she entered the kitchen and diligently switched into the little Italian she knew.

"Madre, posso avere un lavaggio?" She called, catching Helena's attention quickly with her mediocre use of her mother tongue. Instantly, the Italian woman whirled around with doting stars in her eyes and her hands clasped together.

"You're getting better and better with Italiano, mi bambina! Soon you will be molto fluent!" She cooed, snatching up her daughter not minding just how sticky she was and began to cuddle her. "A bath yes? Let's go get my little Kyoya cleaned up from my big Kyoya's brutal training!"

All that was said with a smile and she began to wonder if her mother was a secret sadist.

"We will go out after this because we have to enroll you in preschool." Helena rolled her storm colored eyes as she filled the bathtub and set Kyoya inside. "Although your father doesn't approve of you being surrounded by sheep, I think it's a good idea. The silly man keeps yammering on about wanting you to be around superior predators."

Kyoya blinked as water was dumped over her head and she wiped at her eyes.

"Is that so bad kaa-chan?" She asked because she didn't really want to go to school again but in answer to her inquiry her mother huffed heatedly.

"Of course it's bad! I think you need to socialize, you are much too like your daddy and not enough like me." She pouted. "Though I guess that isn't so terrible but it could be better, which is why you'll start in a week."

Her mother grinned.

"It's called Namimori Daycare, I think you'll like it."

Staring at all of the familiar faces that littered the classroom, Kyoya felt the need to rub the bridge of her nose in irritation.

She could easily spy the future guardians in the room and what she saw was literally a prediction of who they would become in the upcoming years.

One Yamamoto Takeshi was ever smiling and he already seemed to have a fan club - albeit a fan club of two and three year olds but it was enough to be annoying.

Sasagawa Ryohei and his sister Kyoko - who she never really liked - were seated together. As expected, the energetic boy was traipsing around shouting his patented 'extreme' left and right while his sibling looked just as flowery as ever. Hana was surprisingly sitting off in a corner glaring balefully at the other children surrounding her and Mochida was doing something she didn't really care about.

Finally, her gaze caught on the lone fidgeting boy sitting at a table by himself and she could feel the traitorous feeling of melting deep within her stomach. He just looked so adorable dressed in his orange - and ironic - 27 hoodie and green cargo pants that Kyoya simultaneously wanted to vomit and pinch his cheeks.

Waving goodbye to her mother after promising to be good - well as good as she possibly could be - she stood at the front of the class and waited her introduction.

And she wasn't left waiting long.

"Hello class, this is our new student Hibari Kyoya," The teacher beamed and the children beamed back. "Everyone please make her feel welcomed."

Turning towards the young girl, the elder woman gave her a smile.

"Why don't you tell us about yourself Kyoya-chan." The lady advised and with a nod, she stepped forward and coolly surveyed the gaggle of children.

"I am Hibari Kyoya, that's all you need to know." She scowled. "Annoy me and that will be the last thing you do."

And almost as if the teacher hadn't heard what she had said, the woman gave an impish giggle like she thought Kyoya was joking.

News flash: she wasn't.

"Okay then Hibari-san, why don't you take a seat?" The teacher told her in a tone filled with all things jovial and Kyoya moved forward to do just that.

Looking from group to group she immediately discarded Yamamoto's table, those budding fan girls would make it impossible to think. And that was the same with where the Sasagawa's were sitting, the fan boys paired with that loud ass Ryohei would cause her to commit genocide. She could have sat with Hana but her table was full and Mochia was lurking far too close to that corner of the room.

Sighing she moved over to Tsuna's table and saw him immediately flinch, but underneath his apprehension was a dawning look of recognition.

Sitting down, she set her bag on the back of her chair and ignored the teacher as she began to instruct them on the fine art of coloring.

"U-um," A soft squeaky voice stuttered and Kyoya looked up to see Tsuna attempting to speak with her using his measly bit of courage and it was quite adorable.

"I-I'm Sawada T-Tsunayoshi." He introduced with red cheeks and Kyoya raised a brow.

"I know, we've met before." She said bluntly and then blinked at the curtness of her words. Maybe her father was rubbing off on her a bit too much.

"Yeah," He squeaked, his face red as he twitched in his seat. "w-when you touched my h-h-hair-EEK!"

Shooting him a droll stare at the little startled shriek Tsuna gave when she had stood up, she rolled her eyes at his over reaction.

"I'm going to get some things to draw with." She stated as she walked over to the art box and carefully selected matching colors and papers before making her way back to the table.

Sliding back into her seat, Kyoya tossed her companion a contemplative look as she considered just what she wanted to do in this situation. By her estimation this could go one of three ways, she becomes Tsuna's friend, she keeps it canon, or she goes half and half. And if she were being honest, the first option would change too much and the second option seemed just a bit too boring. But if Kyoya managed to tread the fine line between amicability and hostility then that was perfect.

That way she could change bits and pieces and still maintain that advantage that she loved so much.

Smirking a bit, Kyoya set down the coloring pencils and scratch paper as she started to get to work and Tsuna, taking the hint, did the same.

Their mutual silence went on for the rest of the week and Kyoya was pleased. And that was why on Friday when her mother inquired about her progress, Kyoya gave a sharp grin and a cackle.

"Sheep aren't so bad."

That Saturday morning her father gave her one day off so that he could deal with business - most likely with his Yakuza group because her dad certainly wasn't working in an office - but gave her the firm warning not get too complacent.

Kyoya snorted. Yeah, like her 24 hour break could make her forget the horrid months of conditioning he forced upon her.

Slipping into more comfortable clothes, she hefted her bag filled with its usual things - weapons, food, gadgets etc etc - over her shoulders and exited the house.

"Check in every few hours okay Kyo? I don't want you to get hurt!" Her mom shouted after her and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes because Kyoya was sure her parents had a tracker installed into her neck at birth.

Instead she nodded to her mother's words and headed off to the local park, fully intent upon battering the trees as practice when she stumbled across the rather annoying sight of Sawada Tsunayoshi being bullied.

How troublesome.

Edit: 9/5/16

Hey so I used the wrong word, I'm revising not rewriting - although there will be some parts that I change. Also I don't like having my old work just up especially if I don't like it, so I won't have the old version put up. I've decided to reupload the revised chapters.

Expect 3 chapters every day until I get to the latest one.